About five years ago I got to Lebedyan in the midst of the fair. I stayed in a hotel, changed clothes and went to the fair. The sex man in the hotel managed to inform me that Prince N. and many other gentlemen stayed with them. I wanted to buy three horses for my chaise. I found two, but I did not have time to pick up the third.
After lunch, I went to the coffee shop. About 20 people gathered in the billiard room, among whom I noticed Prince N, a young man of about 22 with a cheerful and somewhat contemptuous face. He played with retired lieutenant Viktor Khlopakov, a small, dark-skinned and thin man of about 30, with black hair, brown eyes and a blunt upturned nose. Khlopakov possessed the ability to please the young Moscow rich, due to which he lived. The success of the lieutenant consisted in the fact that for a year or two he used the same expression, which, for some unknown reason, made his patrons laugh. After some time, this expression ceased to amuse, and Khlopakov began to look for a new patron.
The next day I went to watch the horses to the famous young lady Sitnikov. I liked the apple-gray stallion, and we started to bargain. Suddenly, from around the corner, a trio of horses flew out, harnessed to a dandy cart. In it sat Prince N. with Khlopakov. Sitnikov began to fuss and began to show the prince the best horses. I did not wait for the end of the transaction and left.
On the corner of the street, I noticed a large sheet of paper attached to the gates of a grayish house. On paper it appeared that a certain Anastasey Ivanovich Chernobay, a Tambov landowner, was selling horses here. Anastasei Ivanovich turned out to be an old man of medium height, with white hair, beautiful blue eyes, a kind smile and a pleasant, juicy voice. I bought an inexpensive horse from him. The next day, she was driven and lame. Chernobay did not take the horse back. I understood what was the matter, and submitted to my fate. Fortunately, I paid inexpensively for the lesson.
About two days later I left and turned into Lebedyan a week later, on the way back. In the coffee house, I again found Prince N. for billiards, but the usual change occurred in Khlopakov’s fate - he was replaced by a blond officer.
